A vehicle lift is a device operable to lift a vehicle such as a car, truck, bus, etc. Some vehicle lifts operate by positioning two or more scissor lift assemblies at or near a shop floor level. The vehicle may then be driven or rolled into position above the two scissor lift assemblies while the scissor lift assemblies are in a retracted position. The scissor lift assemblies may be actuated to extend the height of the scissor lift assemblies, thus raising the vehicle to a desired height. Where two scissor lift assemblies are utilized, the scissor lift assemblies may be positioned at a central location relative to the vehicle's body such that the vehicle may balance on the scissor lift assemblies (e.g., under each axle). Once the user has completed his or her task requiring the vehicle lift, the vehicle may be lowered.
In some instances, the scissor lift assemblies may be actuated by a hydraulic cylinder or other similar device. It may be desirable to modify the structural frame of a lift in order to withstand greater vertical and lateral bending loads. A structural frame may be modified in order to withstand greater bending loads by making a structural element out of thicker material. However, making a structural element with thicker material may require additional, unwanted modifications, such as a wider platform beyond what a vehicle requires or an operator desires. Alternatively, structural elements could be made out of a material with higher strength, although this option may add additional cost or create formability and/or weldability issues. In other alternatives, designers use the tallest link possible, which overcomes some vertical loading, but space constraints limit use and desirability of this approach. In still others, localized, low-strength steel stiffeners are added to the legs, which requires less additional material, but still requires increasing the width of the legs beyond desired constraints. In yet others, a low-strength stiffener with a “P” cross-section is added to the side of each leg (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,997 B1, issued Jun. 18, 2002, to Granata), but this complex geometry can yield less than optimal load-carrying improvements for a given added volume.
Therefore, there may be a need to create a scissor lift that may withstand greater bending loads, yet is less wide than a scissor lift of comparable strength that uses thicker material and is cheaper than using higher-strength material for the entire structural element.
Examples of vehicle lift devices and related concepts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,196, entitled “Electronically Controlled Vehicle Lift and Vehicle Services System,” issued Jan. 3, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,916, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Synchronizing a Vehicle Lift,” issued Jul. 20, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,430, entitled “Jack with Elevatable Platform,” issued Aug. 5, 2003, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,554, entitled “Portable Lift and Straightening Platform,” issued Nov. 26, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,676, entitled “Portable Lift and Straightening Platform,” issued Aug. 7, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,263, entitled “Automotive Alignment Lift,” issued May 9, 2000, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,686, entitled “Non-Continuous Base Ground Level Automotive Lift System,” issued Apr. 6, 1993, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,122, entitled “Safety Interlock System,” issued Mar. 2, 1993, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,159, entitled “Automotive Lift System,” issued Mar. 17, 1992, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein; and U.S. Pub. No. 2012/0048653, entitled “Multi-Link Automotive Alignment Lift,” published Mar. 1, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
While a variety of vehicle lifts have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used an invention as described herein.
The drawings are not intended to be limiting in any way, and it is contemplated that various embodiments of the invention may be carried out in a variety of other ways, including those not necessarily depicted in the drawings. The accompanying drawings incorporated in and forming a part of the specification illustrate several aspects of the resent invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements shown.